US-led coalition declared responsibility for the death of a high-ranking IS militant in northwestern Syria
In the early hours of this morning, coalition forces carried out a raid on a house in the town of Atme, Idlib province, Syria. The target of the operation was Iraqi national Salah Numan, known as Ali, who was a leader in the Daesh (IS) organisation.
According to state television, coalition forces raided the house where Numan was living with his family and mother. Tragically, Numan was reported to have jumped from the balcony of their first-floor flat, resulting in his death. His wives were arrested during the operation.
The family of Sheikh, the owner of the house where Numan was living, was blindfolded, led away, and their details (including fingerprints) were taken by coalition forces. It is reported that Sheikh rented the house to Numan "via a real estate agency and had no connection to him".
Salah Numan was one of the most dangerous men wanted for his involvement in activating and mobilising IS cells in Syria. IS seized swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in 2014 during Syria's civil war. Despite being territorially defeated in Syria five years after seizing territory, its fighters still maintain a presence in Syria's vast desert.
Interestingly, IS has been known to have former leaders still active in Idlib. This is not the first time the US-led coalition has targeted IS officials in Idlib. Several former IS leaders have been killed in Idlib, including in coalition strikes. The US-led coalition has carried out strikes in Idlib targeting IS officials, including a raid announced in June.
The translator's accent during the operation was Iraqi, hinting at the potential involvement of Iraqi intelligence. According to a security source, Iraqi intelligence led to Wednesday's operation. The search results do not provide specific information about who conducted the airstrike on the house in the city of Atme in Idlib province.
Neighbour Abdel-Qader al-Sheikh stated that Numan had lived there for two years. The sound of aircraft and gunfire was reported during the raid, which took place after midnight, according to three witnesses, including the owner of the building where Numan was living.
It is worth noting that Numan is believed to be the brother of a top IS leader who was killed in 2020 in a coalition strike in eastern Syria's Deir Ezzor province. The coalition has not released any statements about an operation in northwest Syria.
This development underscores the ongoing efforts by the international coalition to combat the remnants of IS in Syria and Iraq. The public will no doubt be watching closely for further updates on this situation.
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